The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has fired back at former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi over their recent criticism of the Rivers State local government elections.
Wike, a former Governor of Rivers State, dismissed their comments as misinformed, insisting that no court had declared the election illegal. He maintained that the process was conducted within the bounds of the law and commended by observers as free and fair.
Speaking during a media chat on Monday, Wike said both opposition figures were speaking out of ignorance and had no moral grounds to question the legitimacy of the elections.
“The court has not declared the Rivers local government election illegal. People who should know better are making reckless comments,” Wike said.
Wike, who played a key role in the presidential campaign that helped President Bola Tinubu win in 2023, did not hold back as he took aim at Atiku Abubakar.
He recalled the 2004 emergency rule declared in Plateau State by then-President Olusegun Obasanjo, with Atiku as Vice President, noting that similar legal provisions allowed the President to make regulations in such situations.
“I don’t blame Atiku; he didn’t even know his boss signed an emergency rule in 2004,” Wike said.
“If he was in tune with what was happening then, he would have known that the President can make laws to govern an area under emergency rule.”
Wike further added that Atiku’s background in the Nigeria Customs Service didn’t qualify him to comment on matters of constitutional law.
“If he talks about Customs, I can understand — he worked there. But on law? He should sit this one out.”
Wike also took a swipe at Peter Obi, accusing him of hypocrisy and political double standards.
“Peter Obi said the election was rascality. But who is the real rascal?” Wike asked.
“He was governor of Anambra State for eight years and only conducted local government elections two months before leaving office.”
Wike questioned why Obi, who delayed LG polls throughout his two terms, would now criticise Rivers State’s election as illegal or undemocratic.
“You can’t stay in Lagos, far from the state, and make comments that have no basis. If you didn’t conduct elections for eight years, you have no moral right to speak now.”
The Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) recently held local government elections to fill the vacuum left by the expiration of the tenure of former council chairmen. The exercise, though peaceful and widely accepted within the state, has attracted criticism from some national figures.
Both Atiku and Obi, in separate statements last week, described the election as unlawful and an abuse of power, citing alleged violations of constitutional procedures.
However, the Rivers State Government has stood by the exercise, saying it was conducted in line with the law and necessary to prevent a leadership vacuum at the local level.
Wike’s latest remarks appear to be a direct response to growing attacks from the opposition, especially those accusing him of manipulating the political situation in Rivers for personal gain.
The exchange highlights growing political tension between Wike and other national figures, especially within the opposition. Wike, a former PDP strongman who supported APC’s Bola Tinubu in 2023, remains a controversial but influential figure in Nigerian politics.
For now, the Rivers LG election continues to spark debates, but Wike insists the courts have not invalidated the process, and therefore, the outcome stands.
“Let those who are shouting go to court. Until then, their words are just noise,” Wike said.
